Broken Top Sunrise Print, now showing at the High Desert Museum!
I am proud to announce that one of my fine art prints, “Broken Top Sunrise” is now on display at Central Oregon’s High Desert Museum. The High Desert Museum is a phenomenal resource for Bend and the whole High Desert region. The High Desert Museum elegantly utilizes history, wildlife and natural resources to foster a greater appreciation of conservation and preservation in both Central Oregon and the Intermountain west. Below is an image of my fine art print, “Broken Top Sunrise” which is currently on display at the High Desert Museum.
Art at the High Desert Museum
The exhibit that my print is part of is about invasive species in the High Desert. Predictably, the exhibit is extremely well organized and laid out. It is a great combination of material that is visually stimulating, entertaining, and educational. Coincidentally, my print is a documentation of native species of
High Desert Museum
wildflowers thriving in the Bend, Oregon area. It is not intended to represent invasive species, but rather the beauty of native species.
Bend, Oregon Winter Snow Photographs.
My hometown of Bend, Oregon is truly a four season outdoor wonderland. Unfortunately, the winter of 2012 had been especially mild until yesterday. Bend and the Central Oregon region are heavily dependent on winter snow fall for their supply of exceptional drink water, as well as irrigation water for agricultural purposes. Winter snow melt from high on the flanks of Broken Top Mountain flows toward Bend via multiple alpine streams and eventually end up in the City of Bend’s water supply. Without enough winter snow fall, there are grave concerns regarding water supply. Additionally, the economies of Bend and the city of Sisters,or are heavily dependent upon winter snow fall to fuel winter sports. The Bend area offers world class Cross Country skiing, downhill skiing at Mt. Bachelor, and snowshoeing, throughout the Deschutes National Forest. Without adequate winter snow fall in Central Oregon, these winter driven snow sports suffer and tourism dollars plummet. One of my favorite winter locations for winter snow sports in the Bend area is Tumalo Mountain and its stunning view of the Central Oregon Cascades.
Fresh Snow on the Central Oregon Cascades, near Bend, Oregon
Tumalo Mountain is located 20 miles from the city of Bend, near the Mt. Bachelor ski resort. Tumalo Mountain is not lift served so snow sports enthusiasts have to earn their turns at this iconic backcountry location. The East facing slope of Tumalo is a steep bowl while the remainder of the mountain offers a more gradual grade for relaxed tree skiing. The photograph seen above of the Central Oregon Cascades after a heavy winter snowfall was taken from near the summit of Tumalo Mountain.
The next two photos in this winter collection are both of my favorite Oregon River, the Deschutes River. The image seen below features the distinct and beautiful Red Osier Dogwood which is common in riparian areas throughout Central Oregon. This particular Bend Oregon photo was captured in Tumalo State Park. Because Tumalo State Park is lower in elevation than the City of Bend, it is often accessible during the winter season. Red Osier Dogwoods along the Deschutes River near Bend, Oregon.
Red Osier Dogwood and the Deschutes River
The recreational area along the Deschutes River trail south of the city of Bend is higher in elevation than the city of Bend and therefore is sporadically accessible during times of heavy snowfall in Central Oregon. One of my favorite hiking destinations along the Deschutes River trail is Benham Falls, seen below. While winter can be harsh at Benham Falls, summer is always spectacular at this beautiful waterfall.
Bend Oregon's Benham Falls in winter
The detail in the fine art print of this scene at Benham Falls in the Deschutes River is beautiful. The snow and ice details make this one of my favorite Bend Oregon winter scenes. Leaving the Bend area and traveling west to the city of Sisters, you can visit this wonderful grove of Ponderosa pine trees.
Oregon Ponderosa Pine Tree Grove in Winter
This particular Ponderosa Pine Tree Grove has stunning color in both the summer and winter. These trees all lean slightly towards where I was shooting this photo from and their bark is slightly shielded from the elements. This gives their bark the wonderful cinnamon color that is a favorite of hikers and naturalists in the Sisters, Oregon area.
One last image that I think embodies the snow/winter season in the Bend, Oregon area is the following Photo of Mt. Bachelor after a heavy winter snowfall.
Photo/pic/image of Bachelor in winter, Bend, Oregon
This winter snow photo of Mt. Bachelor was hard earned, requiring a 60 minute snowshoe climb in 29 inches of overnight powder snow. Fine art prints of this and all of the images in this collection of winter photographs are available for sale. Please visit the galleries page of my website by visiting my photo gallery page. Oregon Photos for sale.
Thanks for visiting and have a wonderful snowy winter!
Mike Putnam
First Friday Art Walk in Downtown Bend, Oregon (12/2/2011)
I’m pleased to announce that I will return to my frequent art haunt of Patagonia of Bend for tomorrow night’s First Friday Art Walk. Patagonia Of Bend is located at 920 NW Wall St, where I will introduce a new Print of Central Oregon’s beautiful Proxy Falls. I just viewed this print for the first time today and I think it looks fantastic!
Oregon Waterfall
Proxy Falls may be my favorite waterfall anywhere and I am very excited to share this new framed print! In addition to this new Oregon Waterfall Print, I’ll also have the following favorites on display during the First Friday Art Walk festivities.
Sparks Lake near Bend,Oregon.
Bend Oregon’s very own Sparks Lake during a beautiful sunrise. Below is another stunning waterfall image from the Bend,Oregon area, Bend’s own Tumalo Falls, captured this past summer!
Bend Oregon Waterfall
I will also be showing one of my favorite Oregon snow images, taken from the top of Bend’s Tumalo Mountain.
Bend Oregon Snow
Please stop by Patagonia of Bend tomorrow night to see my new Proxy Falls Print as well as these older favorites!
I hope to see you there,
Mike Putnam
New Proxy Falls Fine Art Photograph!
Proxy Falls is the kind of waterfall one never forgets. It is frequently included on lists of the world’s most beautiful waterfalls. I’ve traveled to Proxy falls countless times in the last 15 years, including five times this past summer, purely for the sake of capturing the photograph you see below. Multiple times I was virtually washed away by monsoon like spray caused by heavy spring snow melt. Other times I simply missed my mark. On the day I captured what will be my next fine art print, I actually wore fly fishing waders because I knew I would be spending extended periods of time wading knee deep in frigid mountain water while focusing and adjusting my 4×5 large format film camera.
Proxy Falls, Three Sisters Wilderness Area, Oregon
Proxy Falls is located on Oregon highway 242, west of Mckenzie Pass. The parking area is clearly marked as is the trail head. The short 2 mile loop winds through moss covered lava fields and stunning old growth forests. Spring brings wonderful displays of rhododendron and beargrass blooms while fall is celebrated with the oranges and reds of vine maples in their autumnal finery. The smaller and less heralded Upper Proxy Falls is also a worthy side hike on the Proxy Falls loop.
I worked extremely hard to get what I think will be one of my more popular fine art prints. Aside from the satisfaction that comes from completing an arduous task, I’m excited about the aesthetics of this Landscape photograph. The Hint of color on the submerged rock at the bottom of the image as well as the verdant moss covered rocks make for an excellent foreground. The downed log in the mid ground adds an attractive diagonal line as well as some textural diversity to this landscape print. Finally, this photo has as good of a background as I’ve ever found for a waterfall photograph. Stunning lines and textures of water cascading 226 feet over volcanic basalt columns. I love the combination of visual scenery that this beautiful Oregon waterfall provides and I can’t wait to have my first large prints of this amazing waterfall framed.
Thanks for visiting,
Mike
First Friday Art Hop in Bend, Oregon!
Hello Photography friends! After a two month sabbatical, from First Friday festivities, I will be back with with new Fine art prints at my familiar haunt, of Patagonia of Bend. Patagonia of Bend is located at 920 NW Bond Street, in Downtown Bend, Oregon.Fall Art Hop and my show will take place this Friday, 10/7/2011. I’ll be in the store from 5:00 PM until about 9:00PM. Rumor has it that the affable owner of Patagonia of Bend, Rod Bien, will be providing his signature frosted animal cookies and some only slightly toxic white wines, for free! I’ll be showing some new prints including the image of Tumalo Falls with summer wildflowers seen below. This Tumalo falls photograph is printed, framed and ready to show. It is definitely my favorite summer image of Tumalo Falls, and I think my collerctors will love it!
Bend Oregon's Tumalo Falls with summer wildflowers
The diversity of color and texture make this a visually stunning print. Because of the heavy snow fall in the Central Oregon Cascades last winter, Tumalo Falls’ flow was the highest I’ve seen it last summer, so it will be all but impossible to duplicate this wildflower and waterfall Photograph.
The following image of Paulina Peak, Paulina Lake and the Central Oregon Cascades as seen from the Newberry Crater National Volcanic Monument will also be premiered during Bend’s First Friday Art Hop.
Newberry Crater and Paulina Lake
This Newberry Crater/Paulina Lake is one I’ve been trying to capture for two years. Until now I’d been foiled by snow,clouds, wind, you name it, I’ve been beaten by it, until now! A wonderfully colorful sunrise against the pinnacles of Paulina Peak, heavy snow cover on Mt. Bachelor and the distant Three Sisters, and the misty shores of Paulina Lake far below make this landscape photograph worthy of all my efforts. I hope everyone enjoys it as much as I do!
One of my favorite Prints and one that I have shown very lightly is from Canyon Creek Meadow, at the base of Central Oregon’s Three Fingered Jack. The Canyon Creek Meadow hike is one of my favorites in the Bend area and this is one of the most flower filled landscape photographs I’ve seen. There are always lots of lupines in Canyon Creek Meadow but the year of this photo was exceptional. It was simply the best and most dense stand of Lupines I’ve ever seen.
Canyon Creek Meadow hike
Another lightly shown image in my collection of Landscape photographs is from Bend’s beautiful Deschutes River Trail. The Deschutes River runs through the middle of my beautiful hometown of Bend, and the Deschutes River Trail parallels much of the Deschutes River. The section of the river trail seen in this stunning autumnal image is located south of the city of Bend. This photograph was captured last fall, perhaps the best year for fall color along the Deschutes River that I’ve ever witnessed.
Deschutes River near Bend, Oregon
The fact that such beautiful scenery can be found just minutes from the city of Bend makes me feel lucky to live here!
I haven’t yet decided which additional prints I will display during the First Friday Art Hop, but the following image of the Oregon cascades is a leading candidate as it captures what I think is the best composition of Oregon’s beautiful Cascade mountains.
Oregon Cascade Mountains
Please, if you are out this Friday(10/7/2011), stop by Patagonia@Bend and say hello! I look forward to seeing some of my photography friends and to meeting some new ones.
See you Friday Night,
Mike Putnam
Newberry Crater National Volcanic Monument from Paulina Peak
I’ve been to the summit of Paulina Peak in the Newberry Crater National Volcanic Monument countless times over the last ten years and I have finally captured what I think will make a beautiful fine art photograph. Newberry was created in 1990 and comprised over 50,000 acres of land. The high point of the Newberry National Monument is Paulina Peak at 7,985 feet. In my opinion, the view from the summit of Paulina Peak is one of the most dramatic in Oregon and that is why I wanted to take my time and capture a spectacular image from this amazing location. I will offer this image in two forms, the horizontal version seen below and a vertical image which is further down in this blog post. The horizontal image from Newberry crater does an excellent job of capturing the scale and textures of this amazing location. The Pinnacles of Paulina Peak, Mt. Bachelor and the Three Sisters in the distance, and Paulina Lake far below all captured together during a beautiful summer sunrise promise to make this photograph a welcomed member to my fine art landscape photographs collection.
Newberry Crater, near Bend, Oregon
While I love the above image from Paulina Peak, I also felt it was worthwhile to offer a version of this image which emphasizes the cascade mountain range in the background and the rugged pinnacles of Paulina Peak. While these two images were captured during the same sunrise, they have a very different feel.
Paulina Peak and the Oregon Cascades
I’m even considering adding one of these images to my collection of Central Oregon Greeting Cards.Selections are welcome as to which of these two images would make the best greeting card. Hopefully this image will be available at the next First Friday in Downtown Bend, so please check back regarding specific for the photography show.
Thanks,
Mike
Tumalo Falls in Summer!
I’ve had few of photography successes this summer which means I’ll be coming out with with some new prints in the near future. One of the images that I most definitely will be printing is the following photo of my favorite waterfall in the Bend, Oregon area, Central Oregon’s own, Tumalo Falls!
Tumalo Falls, near Bend, Oregon
Frankly, I’m thrilled with this image. It has texture, color and one of my favorite waterfalls in the world. Tumalo Falls is one of those locations that are beautiful but they don’t always photograph well. I’ve been to Tumalo Falls hundreds of times as it is close to my home town of Bend, Oregon, but I’ve never captured an image from Tumalo Falls in summer that does justice to its beauty. This was a tricky, technical photograph to capture and my transparencies of this stunning waterfall are tack sharp, which is sometimes an elusive thing! As a side note, there was a big otter rustling around in the undergrowth just 10 feet away right before I captured this image of Tumalo Falls. He almost crept right into my scene but at the last moment he was spooked by my shutter release. Another special memory from this beautiful Central Oregon waterfall! This image will soon be available as a fine art print. Please visit my online portfolios to see other images that are available.
Thanks,
Mike Putnam
The Art of Photography partners with the Art of Brewing! First Friday Art Walk at the Bend Brewing Company!
I’ve had lots of different Landscape photography exhibits at the Bend Brewing Company, but this one is a little different! First of all, this will be part of downtown Bend’s First Friday Art Walk. Art will will take place between 5-9PM Friady May 6th 2011. For those poor hopless(sorry!) souls, that have never been to the Bend Brewing Company, it is located at 1019 Northwest Brooks Street in Downtown Bend. Finally you can have some great beer with your art filled Friday night stroll. I’ll unveil following four brand new prints at the Bend Brewing Company Friday night.
Columbia River Gorge
Patriarch Juniper Tree
Deschutes River Trail
Mariposa Lilies
All these new fine art Landscape Photographs and that isn’t even the exciting part of the evening. One of my images, will grace the label of a new Bottled beer, Outback X made by the BBC. Pretty Awesome for a beer drinking photographer like myself! Both Me and Superstar brewmaster, Tonya Cornet will be on hand to sign beer bottles, and perhaps drink beer! Stop by and enjoy the fun!
Cheers,
Mike Putnam
Patriarch Juniper Tree!
Those that know me as a photographer are well aware that I struggle with trees. The challenge of capturing the essence of such wonderful living things, has vexed me in the past. In my job job as a landscape photographer i spend lots of time exploring the Central Oregon area. Last summer, while I was looking for Mariposa Lilies in bloom, I stumble across this absolute giant of a Juniper Tree. It is approximately seven feet in diameter at its base and it is very healthy. By far the biggest and most character laden juniper tree I’ve ever found. One of the things that defines Juniper trees is there ability to survive in hostile climates. This huge, weathered(yet healthy) Juniper most embodies what I think a Juniper Tree should look like. I made several separate visits to this old growth Juniper tree in an attempt to capture the best composition possible.
Patriarch Juniper Tree
My initial efforts were less than stellar, yet I kept returning. this big Juniper had a certain personality that repeatedly drew me back. After some introspection, I realized that this Juniper reminded me of my father. I’m sure that there are some awful Freudian connotations there, but it’s true! It is big, embracing, and has a certain warmth about it. All traits which distinctly remind me of my Father. Thus the title, Patriarch Juniper Tree. You can see this image and three other new images during the First Friday art walk at the Bend Brewing Company, Friday May 6th, 2011. I hope to see you there!
Best,
Mike Putnam
Mariposa Lilies!
One of my favorite aspects of landscape photography is the ability to isolate pieces of the landscape. Oregon’s high desert is largely dry and vegetation is relatively sparse during the summer months. Periodically, spring rains and weather patterns combine to stimulate blooms on one of my favorite wildflowers, the Mariposa Lily. Mariposa Lilies bloom for about 24 hours and they are usually found as isolated specimens. This was a rare grouping of Mariposa Lilies, growing wild on a friends property in Central Oregon.
Mariposa Lilies near Bend, Oregon
To capture two Mariposa Lilies in full bloom is exceedingly rare. To capture three more blooms about to open is even more unique. Finding this luminous grouping of Central Oregon wildflowers is lucky but being able to share them via my photography is a joy. This Landscape photo and three other new images will be on display tomorrow, May 6th, 2011 at the Bend Brewing Company in downtown Bend, Oregon. Please stop by during Bend’s First Friday Art walk celebration and let me know what you think about this Photograph.
Thanks,
Mike Putnam
The Art of Beer! First Friday May 2011.
I’ve mentioned the Bend Brewing Company many times before in this blog, which , frankly is odd, because this blog is supposed to be about photography! Well, I’m so excited, I have to mention the BBC (Bend Brewing Company) again. I always have my Oregon Landscape Photography displayed in the main room of the BBC, and occasionally my landscape photos are displayed in the hallway,which is reserved for a rotation of artists. I’m happy to say that my art will be displayed in the BBC “Art Hallway” during the month of May, 2011, and that I will be at the BBC for the first Friday Art walk(May 6, 2011) in downtown Bend, Oregon. Even more exciting, My Photograph, “Ponderosa Glow” will be featured on the label of the BBC’s newest bottled beer! The label of the beer is seen below.
Outback X Beer label from the Bend Brewing Company!
The BBC’s exceptionally talented brewmaster, Tonya Cornett(2008 World Beer Cup Brewmaster of the year!), will be there to sign bottles of this amazing beer. Outback X is , in fact, one of the most awarded beers in the world over the last 4 years! Below are some of its recent awards:
2010 Great American Brewing Festival-Bronze medal
2010 NABAA -Bronze medal
2010 World Beer Cup- Gold Medal
2009 Great American Beer Festival- Silver Medal
2008 World Beer Cup- Gold Medal
Wow! As you can imagine, I am honored to have my photograph grace the label of this exceptional beer. This honor is especially cherished because the management and staff at the BBC have been so kind to me and my family over the years. Thank You to them! Below is an image off the Ponderosa tree that is seen on the Outback X label.
Ponderosa Pine Tree
It is perhaps my favorite tree in the world and the second largest ponderosa tree I’ve ever seen. I’ll also have a large print of “Ponderosa Glow” on display for the First Friday Art walk, May 6th, at the Bend Brewing Company, so save that night on your calendar for a fun combination of beer and art!
Cheers,
Mike Putnam
Landscape Photography show at Bellatazza in Sunriver, Oregon!
Shockingly, I’ve never displayed my Central Oregon Landscape photography in the beautiful Sunriver area, until now! I recently set up a Photography show which is currently hanging at the Bellatazza in Sunriver, Oregon. It is a phenomenal location where lots of people meet to enjoy delicious coffee and espresso based beverages. I plan on regularly rotating the fine art prints I have on display at the Sunriver Bellatazza, so if you are a Sunriver resident or even if you are just visiting the area, please stop in to Bellatazza, buy an excellent latte, espresso, macchiato, or americano, and let me know what you think of my fine art landscape prints that are hanging on the Bellatazza walls!
Smith Rock Fine Art Print Photograph hanging at the Bellatazza in Sunriver,Oregon
The Sunriver Bellatazza is located at 57057 Beaver Drive, in the Sunriver Village mall. In addition to excellent coffee, Bellatazza offers salads, sandwiches, and Free Wi-Fi! I’d Like to extend a special thanks to Stewart, Leah, and the personable staff at the Sunriver, Oregon Bellatazza for allowing my fine art photos to adorn their walls. Their cooperation is much appreciated.
Bellatazza Coffee Shop in Sunriver, Oregon
I currently have five different fine art Landscape photos hanging in Sunriver, including one of my newest Oregon images of sunrise from the summit of Tumalo Mountain which is seen below.
Tumalo http://www.bellatazza.com/holding-page.html Sunrise Photo
I installed art lights on some of the landscape photos I hung at the Sunriver Bellatazza, which I think will allow customers to more thoroughly enjoy their experience while in Bellatazza. I’ll update my website when I change or add images at the Sunriver Bellatazza, so stop by often, or better yet, visit the Sunriver Bellatazza frequently to see if my Oregon Photography prints have changed.
Thanks For Reading,
Mike Putnam
New Central Oregon Greeting/Note Cards!
As with most aspects of my life as a Landscape photographer in the Bend Oregon area, things have evolved. I try to continually improve the quality of my Photography, my Greeting cards, my fine art prints and the service that I offer to collectors. I have recently found a printer for my greeting cards which is far superior in term of image quality and do to the higher volume of cards that I’ll be purchasing, the costs will be no more than my previous line of cards. The selection of available cards is different as I want my collection to share the beauty and diversity that the Bend, Oregon area has to offer. Below each of the following images, will be a few special thoughts about why a given image was selected to be part of my new and improved Central Oregon Greeting Card collection. Please visit my Central Oregon Greeting Cards page to purchase cards now! So here are the new cards!
Mount Jefferson Wilderness Area Greeting/Note Card
Central Oregon’s Mount Jefferson Wilderness Area is one of my favorite places in the world and this is my favorite image from that beautiful location. This was part of my previous greeting card collection, but I couldn’t resist including it in my new improved card collection. This scene captures the most beautiful wildflower meadow I’ve ever experienced and one of the most beautiful mountains in the world! Needless to say, I was thrilled when I first viewed the 4×5 transparencies that I captured that day with my large format landscape camera. I was honored to have this image grace the cover of the Visit Bend over two years ago. Visit Bend is an innovative and exceptionally effective group staffed by talented and personable people. I consider their guide to be the best regional guide in Central Oregon and quite possibly the the entire Pacific Northwest area. This image has proven to be very popular amongst Fine Art Photography collectors and and Bend visitors alike!
Central Oregon Bitterroot Blossoms Greeting/Note Card
This image of Bitterroot Blossoms along the Alder Springs Trail, near Sisters, Oregon is new to my collection of Central Oregon Greeting cards. I wanted a beautiful representation of the Central Oregon high desert and this image of luminous desert wildflowers fit the bill. Also, it is a favorite of my beautiful wife, so I really had no choice!
Smith Rock Basalt Columns Greeting/Note Card
The above image taken high above the Crooked River, in Smith Rock State Park is another image which captures the rugged beauty of Central Oregon’s high desert. Delicate sulfur flowers surrounding an aged sagebrush, are backed by a Smith Rock feature know as “The Monument”. Smith Rock is a phenomenal destination for visitors to the Bend area and I hope this new greeting/note card will help share the beauty of the Central Oregon area.
Oregon Cascades Greeting/Note Cards
This beautiful Image of the Oregon Cascades bathed in the alpenglow of morning’s first light is my best attempt at sharing the stunning alpine scenery that is found in the Three Sisters Wilderness area, near Bend, Oregon. I worked really hard to get this shot and No, it was not taken from an airplane! I’ve been asked that question dozens of times! I actually climbed Central Oregon’s South Sister three times with a 40+ pound pack in order to capture this idyllic alpine image. The first time, clouds rolled in, the second, hurricane force winds prevented me from even setting up my tripod and on the third attempt, the conditions were blissfully calm and the alpenglow was resplendent! I captured lots of great images with my beloved wooden 4×5 camera that morning, but this is my favorite. I don’t think a more dramatic and alpine scene can be found in Oregon. Mountains that are visible in the large fine art version of this image (from nearest to farthest) include Middle Sister, North Sister, Black Crater, Black Butte, Three FIngered Jack, Mount Jefferson(see Mount Jefferson Wilderness above), Mt. Hood, Mt. Adams, Mt. St. Helens, and Mt. Rainier! Awesome!
Incidently, an image I captured the same morning as this(slightly different composition) is still used in advertising campaigns by Bend’s Bank of the Cascades and fine art prints of this beautiful scene can be found in private and corporate collections across the United States.
Bend, Oregon's Tumalo Falls Greeting/Note Card
Bend Oregon’s Tumalo falls is an iconic Central Oregon location and a popular departure point for summer adventures such as hiking and Mountain Biking trips. I’ve been to Tumalo Falls dozens of times and this was by far the most colorful I’ve ever seen this area. I happen to be exploring with my now 8 year old daughter, Emma, during a heavy autumn rain. Emma was a trooper and I captured what is one of my favorite Oregon landscape photographs. While Bend is considered to be in the high desert, it is surrounded by water! Tumalo Creek, the Deschutes River, the Cascade Lakes, and numerous small streams course through the Bend area and I wanted to represent this characteristic of the Central Oregon area with one of my new note cards.
Sparks Lake Sunrise Greeting/Note Card
Sparks Lake is an easily accessible Boating and hiking destination near Bend, Oregon. The composition and serene beauty of Sparks Lake draws photographer from around the world. I’ve been to Sparks Lake dozens of times and this is by far the best image I’ve captured from it’s beautiful shores. The night before I captured this stunning photo, there was an alpine snowfall and the clearing storm left a gorgeous array of clouds as the sun rose. In addition to being a popular fine art print, this image was also recently selected by the good folks of Visit Bend as the cover shot for their newest tourism guide of the Bend, Oregon area. Follow this link to learn more about Visit Bend!
Central Oregon's Mount Washington Greeting/Note Card
The above image of Central Oregon’s Mount Washington was captured along the shores of a backcountry lake in the Mt. Washington Wilderness Area. I have to thank my friend, beer buddy, and partner in our stock photography business, Pacific Crest Stock for first finding this hidden location while bushwacking far from any trails. To visit our stock photography site, follow this link, Oregon stock photos. This view of Mt. Washington is the best I’ve found and the fresh alpine snow combined with fall color along the lake shore make for a stunning greeting card.
Bend, Oregon Aspen Leaves Greeting/Note Card
The above image of Aspen leaves is one of my most popular fine art prints and will make a colorful addition to my collection of Central Oregon Greeting Cards. These leaves were along the Deschutes River Trail south of Bend. Bend’s high elevation and arid climate allow for aspen trees to thrive. There are stands of aspen trees scattered throughout the Central Oregon area. In autumn during select years, these trees can explode with color, making beautiful and delicate scenes like the one above.
Either a variety pack including one each of my 8 different cards or boxes of 8 cards of the same individual image are available. Envelopes are included with the cards . To order cards, please visit my greeting cards purchase page. Central Oregon Greeting Cards. For retailers that are interested in larger purchases, please contact me for retail rates.
(541) 610-4815
info@mikeputnamphoto.com
Thanks For Reading!
Mike Putnam
Depot Cafe Art Gallery in Sisters, Oregon.
My newest Central Oregon area fine art photography exhibit is at the Depot Cafe in Sisters, Oregon. In general, I prefer to deal with temporary art galleries/exhibits rather than with traditional galleries and my newest “Art Gallery” is a good one! I’ve eaten at the Depot Cafe, formerly known as the Depot Deli dozens of times and the food has always been excellent. In addition to burgers and other hot sandwiches, they have an extensive menu of tasteful yet reasonably priced cafe food.
Depot Cafe, Sisters Oregon
I recently met Pam and Chris, owners of the Depot Cafe. They are great folks who I’m certain will continue to be successful in the competitive Central Oregon dining world. I’ll soon install some museum quality art lighting to better display my current landscape photography exhibit at the Depot Cafe. Below is a photo of my landscape photos that are on display there as of 1/24/11.
My "Art Gallery" at the depot Cafe in Sisters, Oregon.
Three of my favorite images are on display at the temporary art gallery at the Depot Cafe. They include “Aspen Leaves”, “Sparks Lake Sunrise”, and “Alpine Stream”. I hope to rotate my art through the Depot Cafe fairly regularly, so if you are passing through Sisters, or if you are a Sisters area resident, stop by, enjoy the art and get some great food!
I don’t know many of the staff members at the cafe, but Matt has helped me several times and he has been very kind and efficient. Below is a shot of the “Engine Room” at the depot, where the magic happens!
Depot Cafe
If you’d like more information regarding current offerings and events at the Depot Cafe, visit their Facebook Page. Thanks for reading and if you are in the Sisters, Oregon area, stop in to the Depot Cafe and enjoy yourself.
All the Best,
Mike Putnam
Bend Brewing Company’s Downtown Art Gallery!
I cut my landscape photography teeth shortly after I had discovered the friendly and hoppy confines of the Bend Brewing Company located on Brooks Street in downtown Bend, Oregon.
Bend Brewing Company
Because I’ve lived in the downtown Bend area for over 10 years, I’m distinctly familiar with what is going on in the downtown area and I love it! The downtown area has a certain vitality about it that few cities can match. Festivals, parades, movies, concerts, art walks, great food, world class beer are just part of the allure of downtown Bend. The Bend Brewery is one of the closest downtown establishments to my home and it is one of my favorites. The “BBC” as locals call it makes numerous award winning beers, such as Outback-X, Elk Lake IPA, and my personal favorite, Hop Head IPA. Beer was only part of the initial attraction that the Bend Brewing Company held for me. Our lovely daughter, Emma, was born nearly 9 years ago and frankly, she liked to get out of the house. Because of my wife’s work schedule, it was not unusual for me to be in charge of our daughter. As a toddler and now, she loves interaction with other people, so we’d go to the pub! The Bend Brewing Company happens to have booths which was a godsend when I was a solo parent in charge of a squirmy toddler. From the beginning of my pub parenting experiment, the BBC staff treated Emma and I like family. Consistently talking and interacting with her as if she was an adult in whom they were genuinely interested. She was hooked, and so was I. Eventually the whole staff would greet her when we walked into the pub, making her feel like a very small “Norm” from cheers!
Because Emma and I had become such regulars, and my landscape photography business began to flourish, I propositioned the owner, Wendi Day about displaying my work in their hallway where there is a rotating display of work by local artists.
Bend Brewing Company's Wendi Day.
She approved and my display was a success, I even sold a couple of prints that were displayed during that exhibit. Eventually I agreed to display work on the main walls at the Bend Brewing Company on a fairly permanent basis. To this day, my large Oregon landscape prints are displayed at the BBC’s main dining area as well as their “River Room”, Below is a picture of some of my landscape photography displayed in the hallway at the Bend Brewing Company.
Artist Hallway at the Bend Brewing Company
As you might have guessed, my Oregon landscape photography is currently(Thru January of 2011)on display in the hallway at the Bend Brewing Company, as well as my permanent locations in the Brewery’s dining/drinking areas, such as the bar area seen below.
Bend Brewing Company bar area
I’d like to extend a sincere thanks to my friends such as, Wendi, Eric, Tom, Steve, Emily, Jenny, Mindy, Dallas, Heather, Tonya, and the many others who have made, my family feel at home. Also, I’d like to thank Wendi Day for her ongoing support of my Oregon Landscape Photography.
Cheers,
Mike Putnam
New Deschutes River Trail Fine Art Prints!
As winter has taken its seasonal grasp over Central, Oregon, I begin an annual review of my Autumn images from 2010. Fall is perhaps my favorite season and it is often spectacular in the Bend, Oregon area. It always surprises me when visitors ask if there is any fall color in Central Oregon. Our incredible diversity of fall color surpasses most areas of the country. Between vine maples along Santiam Pass, Huckleberries and blueberries in alpine meadows, sugar maples and larch trees in Bend’s Drake Park, and flourishes of riparian color along streams and rivers in the Bend area, the opportunities for fall color peeping are countless. Both of the following Deschutes River Photos will compliment my Oregon Rivers, Lakes and Streams Gallery My best fall color photos from this recently passed season were from the riparian areas along our Deschutes River. The Deschutes River Trail south of the city of Bend is a recreational wonderland.
Deschutes River Trail Near Bend, Oregon.
The area from the Old Mill District to Benham Falls offers phenomenal Mountain Biking, hiking, and fishing options all close to our fair city. Every year, the Deschutes River Trail is on my list of autumn photography exploratory locations and this was perhaps the most colorful year along the Deschutes River Trail(DRT) since my arrival in Bend 12 years ago. I photographed in several locations along the DRT this fall and the image above is one of my favorites. I’m still awaiting the transparencies from my 4×5 camera, but I’m optimistic that there will be images worthy of a new large format fine art print. The small thumbnail seen above doesn’t really do justice to the color and the wonderful array of textures that were present in the scene. Regardless, I’m optimistic about the potential results from my large format camera.
The next Photograph is also of Central Oregon’s beloved Deschutes River but it was taken from closer to the city of Redmond, Oregon. The thing that drew me to this off-trail photography location was the lichen covered rocks more so than the autumn hued Deschutes River seen far below.
Deschutes River near Redmond, Oregon
These two images are another example of the amazing geographical diversity found in the Central Oregon area. The first Photograph from the Deschutes River Trail shows a river lined with fir, spruce and ponderosa pine trees while the second photo, taken about 20 miles away shares an arid desert river canyon with a narrow fringe of riparian color and a sparse smattering of juniper trees. The rugged desert rocks are really the star of this second Deschutes River photo and I hope that my large format camera is able to capture the stunning detail in this craggy scene. I’ll have more Central Oregon autumn images up soon at our Pacific Crest Stock Photography site in the new future. Oregon Stock Photos
Thanks for visiting!
Mike Putnam
Bend Oregon Fall Art Hop
It’s that time again art fans, Fall Art Hop! As is often the case, I’ll be sharing my fine art landscape photography at Patagonia of Bend, located at 920 NW Bond Street, in Downtown Bend. The good folks at Patagonia will be sharing their now famous iced animal cookies. It is a touch of class that you can’t just find anywhere, so come on in and enjoy the ambrosial flavors of tiny animals dipped in frosting. Confectionary Greatness! This greatness will be balanced by the astringent notes of Patagonia of Bend’s signature brand of slightly rancid wine, that I generously think of as good vinegar! What more could you ask for?
Tumalo Falls, near Bend, Oregon
The above picture of Bend’s own Tumalo Falls will be on display at this particular art hop. It is a picture that has special meaning to me because I captured this images with my beautiful daughter, Emma. While Emma may not be at the show, this Central Oregon Landscape picture will.
Dwarf Monkeyflowers blooming near Bend, Oregon
This vibrant macro picture of dwarf monkeyflowers blooming in the high desert outside of my hometown of Bend, will be displayed for the first time tomorrow night. It captures one of the splashes of color that make high desert hikes so worth while. Another new pictured that will be displayed for the first time at art hop will be the following picture of Broken Top Mountain.
Broken Top Mountain near Bend, Oregon
I’ve enjoyed dozens of hikes along the Broken top Trail including several overnighters but I’ve never found a better wildflower foreground with “No Name Lake” and Broken Top in the background. This was a morning picture and more importantly is was a low wind morning which allowed me to get good detail of the wildflowers in this beautiful scene. The following landscape picture of Bend’s famed Sparks Lake was taken last year. This picture will also be available at Patagonia of Bend for fall art hop.
Sparks Lake near Bend, Oregon
Probably my favorite Sparks Lake Picture to date, this image captures a gorgeous sunrise with placid waters from one of Oregon’s most iconic locations. Fresh snow on South Sister and Broken Top, certainly add to this serene Central Oregon Picture.
Oregon's Mount Jefferson
The above picture of Oregon’s beautiful Mt. Jefferson will also be on display at Art Hop on the night of October 1st. If you are in the Bend area, please stop by , check out my work and say hello.
I hope to see you all at art Hop!
Thanks,
Mike Putnam
Bend Oregon Nature Photography. A new Fine Art Print from the Broken Top Trail!
Many of you who enjoy hiking in the Bend, Oregon area may recognize this location. That’s because I captured this image near the Broken Top Trail off of Bend’s own Century Drive. This stunning trail quickly puts hikers in a breath-taking alpine landscape. While the road is rough, the scenery is splendid. Some of my favorite backcountry memories have originated along this trail.
Broken Top Trail near Bend, Oregon
I’ve had countless pre-sunrise mornings along this trail as well as a few family overnighters, with Emma and Debbie. For me, this fine art print captures much of what the scenic Broken Top Trail embodies. The stunning alpine summit of Broken Top, vibrant wildflowers, and the gorgeous alpine tarn, “No-Name Lake”. On the morning I captured this beautiful nature scene, Debbie, Emma and I were camping at a different area of Broken Top. I had scouted this shot the evening before. I had optimistic dreams of clears skies and a windless, photo friendly sunrise. My dreams came true! I awoke early(as usual) and hiked to this location and with a lot of waiting and some wonderful intervention from Mother Nature, the winds stopped just as the sun was rising on Broken Top Mountain. The combination of water, a phenomenal mountain backdrop and a colorful array of alpine wildflowers makes this one of my favorite new fine art prints. This image will be on display for the first time on the night of art hop at Patagonia of Bend on the first Friday in October. If you’d like more information about the Broken Top Trail, check out the following link Broken Top Hike. If you’d like to view this fine art print in person, call me or show up for my showing in October. Please check back for more details and Thanks for visiting!
Mike Putnam
Smith Rock State Park Fine Art Print
One of the new fine art prints that I’m about to release is seen below. This area of Smith Rock State Park is one of my favorites and is an unhealthy obsession for friend, photographer and media darling, Troy McMullin. Smith Rock is a truly stunning location but it is photographically challenging in that many of its areas have been shot to death. These towers, also referred to as “The Monument” is more difficult to get to than most areas and therefore hasn’t been overdone.
Smith Rock State Park
While Smith Rock State Park is technically a desert, the Crooked River flows through the park. Having lots of water flow through our Central Oregon Desert is part of what makes the Bend area special. Water also creates beautiful riverside riparian areas such as the one seen in the Smith Rock Image above. I hope to have this image available in the form of a Fine art print for my next show which will be the first Friday of October at Patagonia of Bend. I hope that the combination of Smith Rock’s towering rock formations combined with the raging Crooked River and an autumnal riparian mid-ground will make for a stunning fine art print. You can be the judge on the first friday in October in Downtown Bend.
Thanks for visiting,
Mike Putnam
First Friday Art Walk 9/3/2010 in Bend, Oregon
Tonight for Bend, Oregon’s First Friday Art Walk, I’ll be back to my old haunt of Patagonia of Bend. Bend’s one and only Patagonia store is located at 920 NW Wall St in Downtown. I’ll have my work displayed and downtown Bend should be bustling with activity. Get you art groove on and stop in and say hello if you happen to be in the downtown area tonight from 5PM to 9PM. I’ll spend most of my time at the Patagonia store but my work will also be displayed at the Volcano Vineyards tasting room located at 126 NW Minnesota St, just around the corner from Patagonia of Bend. If you don’t see me at one place, I’ll be at the other and my Oregon landscape photography will be at both!
Mount Washington, in Autumn
The above image of Oregon’s Mt. Washington along with several other landscape images will be at Patagonia of Bend. Also available at Patagonia of Bend will be their now famous iced animal cookies and Rod Bien’s family label of Rot-Gut wine, which is great for quickly removing tartar from you teeth! Stop in for great photography and a free teeth whitening!
Meanwhile at Volcano, will be Sangria, Merlot, viognier, and their exceptional Syrah. I hope to see some of you in Downtown Bend tonight for the September 3, 2010 art walk!
All the Best,
Mike Putnam
Bend Oregon Art Walk. Split shifts between Volcano Vineyards and Pandora’s Backpack.
I’m pleased to announce that I will be in downtown Bend, Oregon for the First Friday Art Walk from approximately 5-9PM this Friday, March 5th. I will start the evening at the Volcano Vineyards Tasting Room located at 126 NW Minnesota St I’ll be there from approximately 5-7PM.
The walls of the Volcano Vineyards Tasting Room festooned with beautiful Photography!
At 7Pm I’ll move to Pandora’s Backpack which is located just around the corner at 920 NW Bond St where I’ll reside from approximately 7-9pm.
Patagonia by Pandora's Backpack located at 920 NW Bond St. in Bend, Or
I’ll have some of my best work displayed at these locations so please stop by.
Volcano will have their always stellar wines available for a very fair price and the Pandora’s Backpack will have their always awful wine available for free! It should be noted that while Rod Bien’s(owner of Pandora’s Backpack) taste in wine has been know to make winos gag, they do have a beautiful collection of Patagonia clothing that will make any outdoor enthusiast giddy with excitement.
smiling and helpful staff members, like Whitney, seen above, will be available to serve you some semi-toxic wine tomorrow(3/5/10) at Pandora's Backpack
Please stop by for good or bad wine and hopefully great Photography! Below is a small sampling of the work I will have available.
Mt. Washington at sunrise.
Photograph of Shevlin Park in Autumn.
Photo of a beautiful sunrise from one of Oregon's most photogenic locations, Central Oregon's Sparks Lake.
Sunrise on Central Oregon's Broken Top Mountain with a wildflower filled foreground.
Please stop by as it should be a great evening!
All the Best,
Mike Putnam
First Friday Art Walk at my newest Bend Art Gallery: Volcano Vineyards Tasting Room
The First First Friday Art Walk for February 2010 is almost upon us and I’d like to officially invite everyone to the Volcano Vineyards Tasting room located at 126 NW Minnesota St(between Bond St and Wall St.) in Downtown Bend. I’ll be there Friday February 5th between 5PM and 9PM and my Fine Art Photographs will be hanging there through March 2010. I will have several new fine art photographs on display and the Quons will be playing as well, which should make for an entertaining evening.
Interior of the Volcano Vineyards Tasting room in Downtown Bend, Oregon
As the First Friday art walk for downtown Bend was cancelled for January( because it was on New Years Day) This Art Walk for February should be especially busy and exciting. Below is another shot of the interior of The Volcano Tasting Room with some of my fine art landscape photographs on the walls.
My fine art photographs hanging at the Volcano Vineyards mothership in downtown Bend.
Finally one last shot of the lovely and affable Liz Ratcliff who along with her husband, Scott, is the owner and operator of Volcano. If you see Liz on Friday night, buy a glass of their amazing Syrah and tell her the landscape photography looks stunning!
Liz Ratcliff of Volcano Vineyards fame!
I hope to see some of you Friday Night At Volcano! Come enjoy the Great Wine, Great Music and Great photography at my newest fine art photography gallery in downtown Bend!
Thanks for Visiting,
Mike Putnam
Sage Cafe at Bend’s Northwest Crossing, My newest Art Gallery!
I have hung my fine art photographs at Sage Cafe in Bend, Oregon’s Northwest Crossing a couple of times in the past and it has always been rewarding in terms of the results and the experience. For those of you who live in Northwest Crossing, you are probably already with the great food, great coffee, and personable staff at Sage Cafe.
Sage Cafe in Bend, Oregon's Northwest Crossing neighborhood
For those of you who don’t live in Northwest Crossing, you now have an extra reason to go visit this wonderful Deli/coffee shop/art gallery as my Landscape photography is currently hanging there and will be up through the end of February. Sage Cafe is located at 2762 NW Crossing Dr. #102 on the West side of Bend, Oregon. Below is part of the talented, affable, and hard-working staff at Sage.
Sage Cafe's talented and personable staff
Below you will see some of my Central Oregon pictures with my hand crafted frames hanging at Sage which will temporarily serve as my personal Bend Art Gallery. I will rotate images through Sage a couple of times this month, so please check back frequently to see which new landscape photographs they have hanging on their walls.
My Landscape PHotography hanging at Sage Cafe, at the Northwest Crossing, Bend Oregon.
If anyone would like a private showing of any of the work currently hanging at Sage Cafe or any of my other work, please call me at 541.610.4815.
Thanks For Visiting,
Mike Putnam
My Large Format Photography Gear
Because I often field questions about what Kind of camera I use, my camera is a good place to start when discussing my camera gear. Most people want to know how I can create such large vibrant prints and what kind of digital camera I use. They are always surprised to learn that I use a large format 4×5 film camera to capture all of my fine art images. There are lots of reasons I explored and have subsequently stuck with a 4×5 camera despite its dated technology and painstaking workflow. Below is a picture of the 4×5 camera that I affectionately refer to as “The Big Rig” which I use to capture all of my fine art prints.
My 4x5 camera , "The Big Rig" which I use to capture all of the images in my fine art landscape portfolio.
THE CAMERA. WHY I STILL USE A LARGE FORMAT 4X5 CAMERA FOR ALL OF MY FINE ART PRINTS.
1. I like it! I like working with a semi-historic camera, I like the feel of it’s cherry wood body, I like the feel of the brass fittings and I like the fact that I feel like I am creating art with art when I am composing a scene with this beautiful camera. It is a very Artisan way of capturing and creating fine art images. In a time of ever advancing digital technology, Film simply film simply feels more real to me. I consider myself a documentary artist. My intention is to capture natural scenes at their very best with minimal post processing. My 4×5 camera helps keep me in touch with that intention.
2. The deliberate process of using this camera makes me fine tune my images before exposure. This camera is largely the opposite of modern digital cameras with which you can fire away without discretion. The film is expensive as is the processing. I estimate that it costs me about $10 per exposure with this camera. The inherent deliberation required with using this type of camera, combined with the cost forces me to pay attention to composition, exposure and focus. This extra attention to details actually saves me time in post processing and that I like.
3. Perspective Control. Large Format cameras like mine are made with bellows so that the film plane and the lens plane can move separate of one another. This separate movement allows me to change the plane of focus in a given shot so that I can get a larger percentage of a given scene in sharp focus than is possible with digital and 35 mm cameras.
4. Big Image format. Part of the reason that I refer to my camera as “The Big Rig” is that it is physically large. The other reason is that it has a very large film format(4 inches x 5 inches, thus the term 4×5 camera). The magic of this kind of camera lies in this large film format. I have to enlarge my transparencies very little compared to digital and other types of film cameras when I want to make a large print. Because of this large film format, I can also make an exceptionally detailed fine art print at very large print sizes. I’ve read that a slow speed 4×5 transparency can be drum scanned and is the equivalent of a 150 megabyte digital camera. That’s huge and that is a big part of why I love this camera.
THE TRIPOD( see the above image)
I use a Gitzo 1228 Carbon fiber tripod and I love it.(Come on Gitzo, how about a little sponsorship money!) It is light for a tripod that is so sturdy because of the carbon fiber material that it is made of. It has plenty of stability, adjustability and it does a good job of dampening vibration which allows me to create images that are crisp and wiggle-free. I also use a Gitzo ball head, for a full range of camera focusing options.
THE LENSES
I carry a small stable of lenses when ever I go out shooting. Because telephoto lenses tend to have lower image quality than fixed lenses, I have opted to use only fixed lenses in my lens collection. My lens collection is pictured below.
My Lens Collection. These lenses include 75mm,90mm,135mm,210mm, and 300mm and at the bottom of this image is my Pentax 1 degree Spotmeter
4×5 camera lenses tend to have a field of view that is 3x wider than the equivalent 35mm lenses. That is to say that the 75mm lens for my 4×5 camera is roughly equivalent to a 25mm lens on a 35 mm camera. My lenses include a 75mm,90mm,135mm,210mm, and 300mm. In terms of a 35mm camera, this collection does not allow for a very long/telephoto option. This is fine with me. In general, the further away a photographer is from his or her subject, the lower the image quality is. Not having a longer lens option, forces me to get closer closer to my subjects and therefore I have more sharpness in my images and greater image quality. It is simultaneously a self control and a quality control mechanism! These lenses are all very specialized and therefore very expensive but without a great lens you cannot have a sharp image, so I’m willing to pay the price.
The pentax spot meter at the bottom of the above picture is the tool I use to take light readings which I then use to calculate exposure times. The fact that it is a 1 degree spot meter means that it samples light from a circle only 1 degree in diameter. This gives me greater control over exposure which is especially valuable is some unusual lighting situations.
Me and "The Big Rig" at my preferred office, high in the Oregon Cascades. Photo Credit: "Old Mike" Croxford
These are the high points from my gear collection. I have a hand full of other goodies that accompany me on my photography outings, but they aren’t as critical as my camera, lenses, and tripod. If you are an aspiring photographer and would like some further information or advice about photography gear, please feel free to contact me through the “contact” tab at the upper right hand corner of the home page of this website.
Thanks For Visiting,
Mike Putnam
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